5 Most Expensive Formula 1 Cars Sold at Auction, Including One Lewis Hamilton Drove
After the recent sale of Lewis Hamilton’s winning Formula 1 car, what are some of the other famous winning vehicles sold at auction? It won’t come as a surprise that the cars on this list belong to McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes. However, the insane prices of the cars might surprise you.
The 1993 McLaren MP4/8A Formula 1 car
The McLaren Formula 1 MP4/8A (chassis number six) was the vehicle Ayrton Senna won the Monaco Grand Prix in. This would be his sixth and final win, Formula 1 notes. Senna also drove the car in Canada, France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and Belgium. 25 years after the win, this McLaren sold in 2018 for $4,972,279 and was purchased initially from McLaren chief Ron Dennis. It was the first privately-owned McLaren MP4 car.
1993 McLaren MP4/8A sold for: $4,972,279
Another 2010 McLaren MP4-25A F1 car
One buyer took home the Formula 1 McLaren vehicle that Lewis Hamilton drove back in 2010. The McLaren #1 MP4-25A vehicle led Hamilton to victory back in 2010 at the Turkish Grand Prix. It was the same race that Red Bull Racing’s Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber collided. This vehicle sold at the British Grand Prix in 2021, the first time a Sprint Qualifying was held.
This marks the first time a Lewis Hamilton vehicle was sold at auction, and it went for an astonishing $6,668,868. Before going up for auction, the car did some laps around Silverstone.
2010 McLaren MP4-25A F1 sold for: $6,668,868
The Schumacher 2002 Ferrari F2002 Formula 1 car
The 2002 Ferrari F2002 took Michael Schumacher to victory. Actually, the F2002 won 15 times, had 11 poles, and had 15 of the fastest laps in 2002. Chassis #219 sold for $6,643,750 back in 2019 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Schumacher won in the F2002 at San Marino, Austria, France, and again at Hungary.
2002 Ferrari F2002 sold for $6,643,750
And another Schumacher car, the 2001 Ferrari F2001
The 2001 Ferrari F2001 is the predecessor to the 2002 Ferrari F2002. This vehicle was chassis #211 and sold for an insane amount back in 2017. RM Sotheby’s New York sold the Ferrari F2001 for $7,504,000 after Schumacher took it to victory in Monaca and Hungary. A portion of the sale of both Ferrari vehicles went to Michael Schumacher’s Keep Fighting Foundation. The most expensive car ever sold at auction was the F2001 Formula 1 car at the time.
2001 Ferrari F2001 sold for: $7,504,000
The most expensive F1 car ever sold, the 1954 Mercedes W196R
The 1954 Mercedes Formula 1 car, the W196R, was the vehicle Juan Manuel Fangio won his second Formula 1 title in. This vehicle was not only the most expensive Formula 1 car ever to be auctioned, but it was also the most expensive car to be sold at auction overall. Bonhams sold the Mercedes W196R at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2013. This Formula 1 car sold for $29,650,095.
The Mercedes chassis #6 won with Fangio behind the wheel in Germany, Switzerland, and Hans Hermann took it to P4 in Italy. This Mercedes vehicle was the brand’s first successful journey into Formula 1, which Lewis Hamilton would eventually continue.
1954 Mercedes W196R sold for $29,650,095
While these vehicles won’t be taking on any F1 races again anytime soon, it is interesting to see how much buyers are willing to shell out for a piece of history. In addition to that, it will be exciting to see how much some of the more modern Formula 1 cars sell for eventually. Some of the Mercedes vehicles that Hamilton has taken to victory have seen an incredible amount of wins in one season. Can you put a price on that?
